More than 300 tourists remain unaccounted for, and at least 19 people have died following severe flooding and a mudslide near the Nepal-Tibet border, after the disaster struck on Wednesday.
The flooding occurred after a torrent of mud and debris surged through the area, sweeping away homes and damaging infrastructure. Chinese state media also reported major casualties at a trade hub on the Tibet side of the border.
Nepal’s tourism board said 384 tourists, including 291 foreigners, were still missing several hours after the disaster. Americans, Indians, Britons, Malaysians and an Australian were among those unaccounted for.
Nepali authorities said floodwaters caused widespread destruction, while images from the affected areas showed buildings submerged in mud and water.
The Nepal Army has deployed helicopters and disaster-response teams to search for survivors and assist those affected by the flooding.
The disaster has also damaged electricity infrastructure, with the Nepal Electricity Authority estimating that about 430 megawatts of power-generation capacity from hydropower and solar facilities has been affected.
Sarthak Shrestha, a remote-sensing and geo-information analyst at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, said a preliminary assessment suggested that a rock-and-ice avalanche in Nepal may have blocked the Lhende River, triggering the flooding.
Several highways have also been closed because of the disaster, while authorities have warned residents and travellers near rivers to move to safer locations.
Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered an urgent rescue operation, stressing the need to locate missing people, treat the injured and minimise casualties.
Authorities have also warned of the possibility of another flood, with experts saying a blockage remains upstream on the river along the Nepal-China border.
The region regularly experiences deadly floods and landslides during the June-to-September monsoon season, with scientists warning that climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events.
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